Троє в човні крім собаки

           Heevenseemedoffendedatourremarks. Hesaidhehadpickedusoutthebestboatinallhisstock,andhethoughtwemighthavebeenmoregrateful. 

           Hesaidit,ThePrideoftheThames,hadbeeninuse,justasitnowstood(orratherasitnowhungtogether),forthelastfortyyears,tohisknowledge,andnobodyhadcomplainedofitbefore,andhedidnotseewhyweshouldbethefirsttobegin. 

           Wearguednomore. 

           Wefastenedtheso-calledboattogetherwithsomepiecesofstring,gotabitofwall-paperandpastedovertheshabbierplaces,saidourprayers,andsteppedonboard. 

           Theychargedusthirty-fiveshillingsfortheloanoftheremnantforsixdays;andwecouldhaveboughtthethingout-and-outforfour-and-sixpenceatanysaleofdrift-woodroundthecoast. 

           Theweatherchangedonthethirdday, —Oh!Iamtalkingaboutourpresenttripnow,—andwestartedfromOxforduponourhomewardjourneyinthemidstofasteadydrizzle. 

           Theriver—withthesunlightflashingfromitsdancingwavelets,gildinggoldthegrey-greenbeech—trunks,glintingthroughthedark,coolwoodpaths,chasingshadowso’ertheshallows,flingingdiamondsfromthemill-wheels, throwingkissestothelilies,wantoningwiththeweirs’whitewaters,silveringmoss-grownwallsandbridges,brighteningeverytinytownlet,makingsweeteachlaneandmeadow,lyingtangledintherushes,peeping,laughing,fromeachinlet,gleaminggayonmanyafarsail,makingsofttheairwithglory—isagoldenfairystream.